NEW DELHI: Microsoft, which was recently criticised by US senator Chuck Grassley for retaining and hiring more foreign workers even as it announced plans to lay off around 5,000 employees, is one of the biggest users of H-1 B work permits issued by theUS to skilled migrants from countries such as India. "We opened a development lab in Vancouver, Canada, because we could not get visas for everybody, and the Canadians were willing to give visas," Ballmer said.
"If the US government allows us, we will have those people to work for us in the US. But if the government does not allow us, we are prepared to have those people work elsewhere, whether it be here in India or in China," he said.
Regarding President Obama's plans to tax overseas earnings of American companies to create more local jobs, Ballmer said he would wait for more details. "I think that the government also has to be thoughtful because there are unintended consequences: will their actions create jobs in the US, or will they tend to drive even more jobs out of the US? In general, business is saying this is not a good thing," he said.
Ballmer, who had offered to buy internet search rival Yahoo last year to compete effectively with Google, said Microsoft is now seeking to develop its own technology for search.
"People still speculate, but I have made it clear: they turned down our offer, it's fine and we will move on. The truth is, in this economic condition I am glad they did not accept the offer of $33 (per share). They might be sad they did not accept an offer for $33, but we crossed the bridge and now we are exploring other opportunities," he said.
Despite enjoying a near-monopoly in the computer desktop market, Microsoft still lags Google and Yahoo in internet search.
Open source software Linux, which can be downloaded for free, also continues to put pressure on the company. "We have competition from this funny thing called Linux, which does not even require it to be successful. In a sense we have all the best and the worst of competition; we have a competitor that's going to keep competing whether it's successful or not because it does not require financial resources, it's keeping our prices down," Ballmer said.
He, however, added that Microsoft would be open to work with Yahoo and create a stronger offering for those currently spending on advertising with Google. "We are not going to acquire them but are open to work together. We and Yahoo together will be stronger. Everybody who advertises on Google in the US and elsewhere would like to advertise on a combination of Yahoo and Microsoft," he added.
"If the US government allows us, we will have those people to work for us in the US. But if the government does not allow us, we are prepared to have those people work elsewhere, whether it be here in India or in China," he said.
Regarding President Obama's plans to tax overseas earnings of American companies to create more local jobs, Ballmer said he would wait for more details. "I think that the government also has to be thoughtful because there are unintended consequences: will their actions create jobs in the US, or will they tend to drive even more jobs out of the US? In general, business is saying this is not a good thing," he said.
Ballmer, who had offered to buy internet search rival Yahoo last year to compete effectively with Google, said Microsoft is now seeking to develop its own technology for search.
"People still speculate, but I have made it clear: they turned down our offer, it's fine and we will move on. The truth is, in this economic condition I am glad they did not accept the offer of $33 (per share). They might be sad they did not accept an offer for $33, but we crossed the bridge and now we are exploring other opportunities," he said.
Despite enjoying a near-monopoly in the computer desktop market, Microsoft still lags Google and Yahoo in internet search.
Open source software Linux, which can be downloaded for free, also continues to put pressure on the company. "We have competition from this funny thing called Linux, which does not even require it to be successful. In a sense we have all the best and the worst of competition; we have a competitor that's going to keep competing whether it's successful or not because it does not require financial resources, it's keeping our prices down," Ballmer said.
He, however, added that Microsoft would be open to work with Yahoo and create a stronger offering for those currently spending on advertising with Google. "We are not going to acquire them but are open to work together. We and Yahoo together will be stronger. Everybody who advertises on Google in the US and elsewhere would like to advertise on a combination of Yahoo and Microsoft," he added.
Source: Times of India
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